Baptism
A sacramentsReligious ceremonies or acts, such as baptism. is a ceremony through which Christians believe they receive God鈥檚 grace or are brought closer to God. Therefore, a sacrament is something that people can engage in with their senses but that has a deeper meaning too.
For ProtestantChristians who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. They believe in the teachings of the Bible but reject the authority of the Pope., baptismRite of initiation involving immersion in, or sprinkling or pouring of water; a sacrament marking the start of Christian life. and the EucharistA service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, using elements of bread and wine. are sacraments. All four of the gospelThe teachings of Jesus and the apostles. mention Jesus carrying out both of these acts.
Many Christians believe that baptism is important because Jesus was baptised, and after his resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life. he told his disciples that they should be baptised too.
John the Baptist was the first Jew to use baptism to symbolise the forgivenessTo pardon someone for something that they have done wrong. of sins. It was John who baptised Jesus. Many Christians believe that baptising cleanses people from original sinThe tendency to sin in all human beings, believed to be inherited from Adam, 'the first man'..
Baptism is practised by nearly all Christian denominationA group within a religion. Christian denominations include, for example, Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations. as it is seen as an instruction from God and a way of following Jesus鈥 example. However, the denominations practise baptism in different ways.
Infant baptism
Some Christians believe baptism makes a Christian a member of God鈥檚 family. In many denominations babies are baptised, and this is known as infant baptism.
For Orthodox ChristiansGroups of Christians, especially found in eastern Europe, who rejected the idea of the Bishop of Rome being the sole leader of the Christian Church., infant baptism involves total immersionTo fully cover someone with water as part of the baptism ceremony.. However, other denominations make the sign of the cross on the baby鈥檚 head using oil and use holy waterWater that has been blessed by a priest or member of the clergy. on the forehead.
There are other elements to a baptism service, including promises made by godparentSomeone who promises to guide their godchild in religious matters in a Christian baptism ceremony. on behalf to the child to reject evil. In addition, at the end of the ceremony the priest gives a lit candle to the child鈥檚 guardians to keep for the child, which symbolises receiving the light of Christ.
Believers鈥 baptism
BaptistA member of the Baptist Church, or a Christian who practices believers' baptism. and PentecostalA Church that emphasises certain gifts, eg healing the sick, which were granted to the first believers on the Day of Pentecost. believe baptism should only occur once somebody is an adult, as it is then that the individual can accept Christianity for themselves. This type of baptism is called believers鈥 baptism.
It is done using total immersion, where the person being baptised walks down into a pool and is fully submerged three times before walking out into their new life.
Some Christians prefer believers鈥 baptism because Jesus was baptised as an adult and because, as an adult, you are able to make decisions for yourself.
Question
What does baptising do?
Baptism cleanses a person of original sin and makes them fully part of the Christian community.